confused about vaccination requirements

[rkk1 34]

Hello. I am a bit confused on the vaccination requirements that my husband would need before coming to the US. I was searching through old threads, and some people had mentioned needing MMR, Tdap, and Varicella. However, I was reading on this VJ vaccination page that the flu shot also is required if the person is interviewing during flu season (October to March, I believe). http://www.visajourney.com/content/uscis-vaccination-requirements

However, when I went to the CDC page it has a whole list of requirements: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1331.html

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Influenza

Influenza type b (Hib)

Measles

Meningococcal

Mumps

Pneumococcal

Pertussis

Polio

Rotavirus

Rubella

Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids

Varicella

So I'm completely confused on what this means. I asked my husband if he knows which vaccines he's taken, but he does not have any idea nor does he know where to obtain his records. He says he knows he had some as a child, but he doesn't know if he had all his required doses or not. Unless he can find some documentation, I think he'll have to get all the doses of vaccinations at the time of his medical. I do not know how many vaccinations this would be, so I'm hoping we can figure out the requirements so that he can get some vaccinates done now (so that he doesn't have to take them all at once later, as that would be too much of a body burden to carry. Furthermore, some vaccines like Hepatitis A/B require a few doses with some months in between, so he should probably start getting them now I think, as he wouldn't be able to get them all done at one time since they require an interval in between).

Does anyone have any information on this? Thanks so much!

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

From my understanding, your husband will go for his examine and the examiner will determine what vaccinations he requires based on his records (if he has any). Many Indians do not carry vaccination records and that is not a problem. My fiance does not have records either and he has the same fuzzy answers about "maybe possibly have a polio vaccine and several others".

If your husband wants to knock out some of the vaccines now, I don't see that being a problem. Just make sure he gets records!

Are you going through Delhi or Mumbai?

[rkk1 34]

Hi AkSingh,

He is going through the Delhi consulate.

Thanks for that info! I hope it shouldn't be a huge deal. I was thinking that he might also be able to get titers done as he might have immunity or have been vaccinated to a few of those illnesses on the list. I would just hate for him to find out at the medical exam that he has to get vaccines done then, and THEN wait other 3 months or so for the follow-up dose before he can travel to the US. If there are going to be delays in visa processing or interview approval based on vaccines, I would think that many of us would like to know this well in advance when there is time to deal with the situation.

[PMartin37 161]

Hi AkSingh,

He is going through the Delhi consulate.

Thanks for that info! I hope it shouldn't be a huge deal. I was thinking that he might also be able to get titers done as he might have immunity or have been vaccinated to a few of those illnesses on the list. I would just hate for him to find out at the medical exam that he has to get vaccines done then, and THEN wait other 3 months or so for the follow-up dose before he can travel to the US. If there are going to be delays in visa processing or interview approval based on vaccines, I would think that many of us would like to know this well in advance when there is time to deal with the situation.

You think exactly like I do. Even though it's MONTHS before I'll need to worry about this, I don't like surprises (from the consulate anyways lol) and I think it's not the best idea to have them all done at once. I don't want him to feel like a human pin cushion and possibly suffer side effects from too many at once. I advised him that he can get the shots at his primary physician in advance..for some, maybe not all of the vaccinations. But others have warned me on here not to let the results be more than 4 weeks old because they might actually reject the reports if they are done over that time frame.

[Divs 35]

Hi AkSingh,

He is going through the Delhi consulate.

Thanks for that info! I hope it shouldn't be a huge deal. I was thinking that he might also be able to get titers done as he might have immunity or have been vaccinated to a few of those illnesses on the list. I would just hate for him to find out at the medical exam that he has to get vaccines done then, and THEN wait other 3 months or so for the follow-up dose before he can travel to the US. If there are going to be delays in visa processing or interview approval based on vaccines, I would think that many of us would like to know this well in advance when there is time to deal with the situation.

FYI, if indeed he needs certain vaccines, he's just gotta get the first dose and is free to travel. The followup shots can be taken in the US. I can give you more info on this once I'm done with my medicals the coming Wednesday.

Edited April 29, 2012 by Divs

[trojam227 18]

That list from CDC covers vaccines for all age groups. If your husband is over 18 and under 55 he will not need nearly this many shots. I would recommend the titres for MMR & Varicella if he thinks he had the vaccines/diseases against these. He will need a Tdap (if available in his country) or some form of it. The US has recent outbreaks of pertussis which is why the Tdap made it onto the list of Required vaccines (Td or Dt used to be acceptable). Flu shot is debatable...schools & healthcare workers aren't even making these mandatory yet, so I can't see why people immigrating would have to have them. A money making scheme on the part of panel physicians IMO.

[Klaxi 9]

I just got MMR and Td vaccines, although MMR is suppose to be life lasting (?!), and I got one as a child.

Td is suppose to be given every 10 years, so I understand that. I just hope that I wont need more shots in USA.